Nowadays, there are few ginseng farmers. Most of them are collected by ginseng collectors from generation to generation. However, collecting ginseng is time-consuming and laborious, and you may not be able to find it. Therefore, there are relatively few professional ginseng collectors in Beicha. Generally, if you find it on the mountain, you will make a mark and dig it with a stick. However, this will inevitably damage the roots of ginseng. In Changbai Mountain, there are many people who have inherited this practice. They go up the mountain with professional tools every day, and there are also formal ceremonies. They spend several hours or even a day to dig the soil bit by bit, and the ginseng they dig out is not damaged at all.
For Zhenzhen, neither of these two methods is necessary. She just taps the ground with her toes and the soil becomes soft on its own. Then, with the help of two ginseng leaves, the plant is turned out of the soil without losing even the fine hairs on its roots.
Chinese people are superstitious about ginseng and ganoderma lucidum. If there is an old one in the family, it is almost like a life-saving thing. Old Mrs. Xi is no exception. She was so happy when she saw the ganoderma lucidum that she couldn't close her mouth. When she saw the wild ginseng, her face was red with excitement.
Mrs. Xi's eldest daughter, Xi Suyu, came over to take a closer look and was sincerely happy for her mother to receive such a birthday gift: "Mom, this is a good thing. I'll ask the doctor to take a look and see if it can be added to your daily regimen."
"It's a pity to put such good ginseng in medicine." Old Mrs. Xi was still a little reluctant: "The wild ginseng with chopstick-thick strands sold in the pharmacy is enough. I think this one should be kept as a family heirloom."
Xi Suyu laughed helplessly after hearing this: "This ginseng is not like other things. Even if it is a hundred-year-old ginseng, its medicinal properties will be affected if it is kept for a long time. If you just worship it, it will be a waste of such a rare thing."
Xi Junjie's great aunt Chang Leqing also nodded and agreed, "Big sister is right, keep this for now, and ask a doctor to feel your pulse later. If you want to know the best pulse, Mr. Zhang Renze, the master of traditional Chinese medicine, is the one. However, he doesn't easily feel people's pulse now. Last time I went to Changshan to ask him, he didn't come."
Mr. Xi's status is not low, and his eldest son Xi Changshan is now the mayor of the imperial capital, but even he is no match for the national medical master. Ling Xiulan said quickly: "Then you can ask someone else. I heard that Mr. Cheng Xuewu is also very good at pulse diagnosis, but he only sees ten patients a day, and everyone has to get a number. I will ask Junjie to go there later to see if he can get a number for the time."
Chang Leqing nodded: "That's fine, anyway, Mom is just recuperating, it's not that urgent."
The more Xi Junjie listened, the more he felt something was wrong. He grew up in France and returned to study, so he didn't know anything about Chinese medicine. Although he sometimes smelled medicine when he went back to the old house, he would always ask about it. As for these famous doctors, it was the first time he heard of them.
"Mr. Zhang Renze, Mr. Cheng Xuewu..." Xi Junjie looked down at Zhenzhen and said, "Why do these two names sound so familiar to me?"
When Xi Suyu heard this, she smiled and glanced at Xi Junjie: "It seems that these two old gentlemen are really amazing. Even Junjie, who has only returned to China for a few years, has heard of their names."
Xi Junjie glanced at Zhenzhen and said nothing. Instead, Zhenzhen smiled and said, "I've been quite free during the winter vacation recently. Junjie sometimes accompanies me to visit Mr. Zhang's home, and I've met Mr. Cheng there." Looking at Xi Junjie, Zhenzhen smiled very sweetly, "Mr. Zhang particularly likes Junjie's cooking. If Grandma Xi wants to ask Mr. Zhang to check her pulse, there is a way. Let Junjie take you there with a jar of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. I guarantee you won't be turned away."
This time, not only the whole family was surprised, even Ling Xiu Lan looked at the young couple with her mouth wide open, wondering when Junjie had met this genius Chinese medicine practitioner? How come she didn't know about it
Xi Junjie looked at Zhen Zhen a little embarrassedly: "Will it cause trouble for you and Mr. Zhang?"
Zhenzhen smiled and said, "It's not that Mr. Zhang doesn't like taking pulses. You see he comes to my house every few days to feel everyone's pulse. It's just that he doesn't like socializing. After he takes a pulse for a family, there will be a string of people asking for help from their connections." She looked at Old Lady Xi and said sweetly, "If Grandma Xi wasn't an outsider, I wouldn't dare to agree to this."
"Thank you so much." Old Lady Xi held Zhenzhen's hand tightly and refused to let go. She was so happy that she could not see anything. "Grandma is so grateful to you this time."
Everyone present was envious after hearing this. After all, when you get older, you always have some discomfort. If you can meet a good doctor to help you take care of your body, you can live several more years. However, these people also understood the meaning of Zhenzhen's words. It was obvious that the little girl used her own face to buy the old lady an opportunity to ask for her pulse. If they wanted to see Mr. Zhang, they had to find other ways.
Although Xi Junjie had only come into contact with the old lady in the past few years, he liked this old lady who was always smiling. Seeing that Zhenzhen had no intention of making things difficult for him, he immediately smiled and said, "I'll make it when I get home tonight. I think Grandma Li likes it, so I'll stew a pot for her too."
"Then my grandma will definitely praise you for another half a month." Zhenzhen winked playfully, and everyone around her smiled kindly.
In Mrs. Xi's impression, Xi Junjie has always been quiet and doesn't like to laugh, and he often has a stern face at a young age. Seeing that he is getting along so happily with Zhenzhen now, Mrs. Xi is relieved. Isn't the purpose of a person's life to make his children and grandchildren safe and happy
"Then I'll come and pick up grandma the day after tomorrow morning?" Xi Junjie asked.
"Sure, I'll tell Mr. Zhang tomorrow morning when I go to the morning market with him." Zhen Zhen looked at the rather dignified Mr. Xi sitting next to her and couldn't help but ask, "Do you want to go with me, Grandpa?"
"I won't go. I'm in good health." Mr. Xi was full of energy. He held the teacup in one hand and turned a walnut in the other hand. "I have never taken medicine in my life."
"Ignore him." Old Madam Xi waved her hand and glanced at Old Man Xi: "He has been stubborn all his life. In fact, he is afraid of the bitterness of the medicine."
Old Master Xi coughed lightly, turned his head away proudly, and pretended not to hear what Old Lady Xi said. After being left out for a while, Xi Sumei finally couldn't help but come over and said, "Mom, if my dad doesn't want to go, I'll just go with you the day after tomorrow."
"What are you going to do?" Old Lady Xi frowned slightly and said, "No need, your third sister-in-law will accompany me when the time comes."
Old Mrs. Xi knew clearly in her heart that her youngest daughter and Ling Xiulan had not gotten along since they first met. Ling Xiulan was unwilling to quarrel with her for her sake, but she also wanted to say a few more words to her. If she took Xi Sumei to see a doctor, Ling Xiulan would feel very uncomfortable.
"Mom!" Xi Sumei stamped her feet coquettishly with a wrinkled face: "A daughter-in-law is not as caring as a daughter."
Before Ling Xiulan could say anything, Chang Leqing was already unhappy. She rolled her eyes at Xi Sumei and sneered, "You make it sound as if you've been taking care of our parents all these years."
Xi Sumei was choked, and for once did not dare to refute. Firstly, her husband's job was arranged by her eldest brother, and secondly, it was her eldest sister-in-law who had been busy taking care of the old couple all these years.
"Well, a daughter who is married off is like spilled water. I think it's not convenient to take care of her, right?" Xi Sumei smiled awkwardly and came closer: "Mom, let me go with you the day after tomorrow. When I gave birth to Ranran, I didn't take good care of myself. Now my waist and hands are always sore. Let Dr. Zhang take a look at me when the time comes."
Glancing at Zhenzhen standing aside, Mrs. Xi's face turned red with shame for her little daughter: "Why are you so shameless? Go find a doctor yourself."
"Look at you, why are you so angry?" Xi Sumei really didn't understand why her mother was angry: "Didn't they say that Doctor Zhang is good? I don't trust others. Besides, this is just a matter of convenience. How can he not check my pulse after I've been there?"
It was not convenient for Zhenzhen to talk since it was her first visit. Xi Junjie held her hand and smiled gently, "I'm sorry, aunt, I'm afraid the master really can't feel your pulse." Seeing Xi Sumei looking over, Xi Junjie smiled sarcastically, "The old man once said that he would not treat just any cat or dog."
In fact, Zhang Renze usually went out for a walk and could tell if a person was ill by looking at his face. If he encountered a serious or urgent case, the old man would not care whether the person knew him or not, and would put down the bird cage and feel the person's pulse, because many sick people liked to walk around Beiyang early in the morning to see if they had a chance to meet the legendary traditional Chinese medicine master. However, for people like Xi Sumei, it is better to slap them in the face directly.
Xi Sumei's eyes narrowed: "How do you talk to your aunt?"
Xi Junjie smiled apologetically: "Sorry, aunt, these are the old man's original words, I just repeated them."
Xi Sumei was choked and speechless. Someone next to her immediately laughed and said, "Sumei, your case is not a big deal. You can go to the pharmacy and find a doctor. Mr. Zhang has a very strange temper. You are so young and don't have any serious illness. He won't take your pulse even if you come to his house."
"That's right." Someone echoed, "It's a waste of Mr. Zhang's time to treat you."
Xi Sumei bit her lip in humiliation. She felt that it must be because her father-in-law and husband were incompetent, one was receiving a meager pension and the other was working as a worker, that everyone was bullying her. If her father-in-law could keep his previous position, these people would definitely not dare to look at her with mocking eyes all day long.
Xi Sumei always thought that her inability to get along with others must be due to other people's faults, but she never thought about how disgusting her own words and deeds were. Xi's relatives and friends, as well as Xi Sumei's sisters-in-law, only avoided laughing at her in person for the sake of the old man's face, but they all looked disgusted when they mentioned her behind her back.
Old Mrs. Xi was well aware of all of this. She didn't expect her youngest daughter to achieve much, as long as she didn't cause trouble for herself while she was alive. As for when the old couple died, Xi Sumei could jump around as she pleased, since she wouldn't be able to see it anyway.
Seeing Xi Sumei begging to go with her to Mr. Zhang, Old Lady Xi interrupted her thoughts and said, "You should go to work. If you feel uncomfortable, go to the hospital. The day after tomorrow, just let your sister-in-law accompany me. You don't have to worry about it."
Xi Sumei muttered unwillingly, "How can we afford medical treatment with the salary we earn? No one in my family needs money except me, but no one wants to help me. If each of you gives me ten yuan a month, my life will be better."
Old Mrs. Xi ignored her. She was unlucky to give birth to a debt collector, but her eldest daughter and sons didn't owe her anything. Why should they give her ten dollars a month? It made people feel uncomfortable just to hear this.
After handing the box of ginseng to Chang Leqing, Old Lady Xi touched her treasured Lingzhi and said, "Old Wife, take your son and help me put these two treasures in my room." Chang Leqing took the ginseng with a smile and was about to leave with her son. Old Lady Xi looked at Xi Sumei and said with concern, "Put it in the cabinet. Remember to lock it for me."
"Okay, don't worry." Chang Leqing held back her laughter, carried the wooden box, and asked her son to take the Lingzhi to the old lady's room. Old Mrs. Xi even looked back at the painting on the wall and said, "After the birthday, I will hang this painting in my room as well."
The people around stretched their necks to watch the longevity-marked ganoderma and the hundred-year-old wild ginseng disappear from sight, and sighed with regret. Seeing that the atmosphere was not good just now, Mrs. Xi's sister-in-law deliberately glared at them in dissatisfaction: "Can't you let us look at it for a while longer? Why are you so stingy? Are you afraid that we will damage it or what?"
As sisters-in-law for decades, Mrs. Xi was happy to joke with her: "I am doing this for the sake of your grandson. If you get jealous and can't sleep at home, where can they find a daughter-in-law as filial as my Zhenzhen?"
As soon as the old sister-in-law turned around, her grandsons immediately lowered their heads. She snorted unconvincedly: "Aren't you still not married?" Looking at Zhenzhen, she suddenly smiled: "Zhenzhen, in fact, dating doesn't necessarily mean you have to get married in the end. If you find the right one, you can change." She turned around and pointed to a row of grandchildren standing near her, and recommended to Zhenzhen with a beaming face: "These are all my grandchildren. Take a look and I'll give you the one you like." Looking at Xi Junjie with a dark face, she seemed to feel that her grandson couldn't compete in terms of appearance, so she gritted her teeth and made a big investment: "If it doesn't work, you can choose two."
Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing this, and Zhenzhen couldn't even stand up straight with laughter. Xi Junjie looked at her with a wronged expression, and the gloom on his body almost turned into substance. Pulling Xi Junjie's hand soothingly, Zhenzhen's curved eyes made everyone around her laugh with her: "Second Madam, I have no plans to change my partner yet, and I will tell you when I have this idea." Xi Junjie immediately held Zhenzhen's hand tightly and said firmly: "Don't worry, I won't let you have this idea."
Xi Junjie's words caused another group of people to smile kindly. Old Lady Xi said quickly: "You think I didn't give you a gift and want to poach you. I must make you give up this idea." Pulling Zhenzhen over, Old Lady Xi took off a pair of soft, plump, emerald green, and delicate jade bracelets from her hands and put them on Zhenzhen's wrists: "My dear child, this is a gift from grandma."
Zhenzhen had experienced the jade craze in her previous life. Jade was talked about on TV every day. Even if she had never eaten pork, she had seen pigs run. Zhenzhen had learned a lot about jade after listening to it for so many years. The jade bracelets of Mrs. Xi were top-grade in terms of water content and color, and their warm feel showed that the bracelets were quite old.
"Grandma, this is too valuable. I can't accept it." Zhenzhen hurriedly took it off and returned it to Grandma Xi.
Old Lady Xi held her hand and said dissatisfiedly: "Aren't the Ganoderma lucidum and ginseng you gave me valuable? For example, the Ganoderma lucidum with the longevity pattern may not appear once in hundreds of years. It is not only valuable but also rare." Zhenzhen touched her nose guiltily: This is really not difficult. Let alone the one with the longevity pattern, even if you want the one with the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea pattern, I can collect them all for you.
"Besides, this is a token of your love. If you don't want it, I'll be angry." Old Lady Xi said firmly, and Zhen Zhen nodded: "Thank you, Grandma."
Old Mrs. Xi looked at Zhenzhen wearing her bracelet and nodded with satisfaction: "They say beautiful jade goes well with beautiful women. I'm old, and I'm no longer worthy of this bracelet. I think this pair of bracelets will be happy to have you as a new owner." When everyone saw that the old lady approved of her grandson's wife, they all stood up and applauded with a smile.
Only Xi Sumei's eyes turned red with anxiety when she saw the bracelets. She had liked the bracelets on her mother's hands since she was a child, and she asked her for them in a coquettish and foolish way, but Mrs. Xi just said that they were wedding tokens bought at an auction at a high price that year, and she couldn't give them to her. Xi Sumei had been away from home for so many years, and she was particularly concerned about her mother's bracelets, fearing that she had given them to her eldest sister-in-law. When she came back, she saw that the old lady still had them, so she was relieved.
Xi Sumei originally thought that the old lady had three daughters-in-law, and giving her a bracelet to each of them would offend people, so it would be better for each of her two daughters. Even if the old lady didn't mention it when she was alive, if she passed away one day and asked for this bracelet as a souvenir, her sisters-in-law would be embarrassed to disagree. But she never expected that the old lady Xi would actually give her to that yellow-haired girl.
Xi Sumei was furious and stood up suddenly, but she immediately felt a hand pressing her shoulder from behind. Xi Sumei looked back at her daughter and suppressed her anger: "That's my bracelet."
Shang Qingran shook his head slightly and whispered in her ear: "Wait until they leave, otherwise grandma will be embarrassed and will definitely not give it to you." Shang Qingran glanced at the bracelet and a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes: "Why don't we just move it back first? If it doesn't work, then we don't want the bracelet. Don't lose the big picture for the small."
Xi Sumei's face suddenly became ugly, but she still followed her daughter's advice and sat on the chair without moving. When Xi Sumei was young, she had no ambitions and was very vain. Otherwise, she would not have done so many stupid things. She was even coaxed by Shang Zhicheng, the son of the Shang family, and even broke off relations with her family in order to get married. Originally, the Shang family wanted to get on the big ship of the Xi family, and they didn't think they could really break off contact. After all, the youngest child is always the most favored at home. But they didn't expect that the Xi family would just treat this child as if he didn't exist and ignored her for more than ten years. The Shang family felt that they had married this daughter-in-law in vain, and they would say a few words to her from time to time. Xi Sumei was scolded in the Shang family and dared not say a word, but when she returned home, she would unconsciously put on airs, asking for this and that, and looking at this and that all day long. She really thought she was still the favored little daughter back then.
A group of people were sitting around Old Lady Xi. After talking for a while, it was almost noon. Several large tables were set up, and after a lively meal, people left one after another.
Seeing that Old Lady Xi looked particularly happy, Xi Sumei came closer and said, "Mom, look at this wool blanket that Qingran from my family gave you. It's really nice and thick. Try covering yourself with it at night."
Old Lady Xi looked at him speechlessly: "You asked me to cover myself with a blanket in the middle of winter, do you want to freeze me to death?"
"I just want to say that my Qingran is filial." Xi Sumei smiled awkwardly: "Mom, you see, it's okay for Ranran to have winter vacation now, let her come and stay with you for a few days."
"No need, I don't like to make noises when I'm old, your sister-in-law and I are fine at home." Old Mrs. Xi knew what Xi Sumei was thinking. She felt that the house she lived in was not good and wanted to move back to the courtyard. When she first said that, Old Man Xi refused. I guess she wanted to let the child live here first, and then she would come over to accompany the child in a few days, and then Shang Zhicheng would be able to come to her house openly after ten days or half a month. Old Mrs. Xi was disgusted with their little calculations.
"Ran Ran in our family is not noisy." Xi Sumei quickly pushed Shang Qing Ran to the side of Old Lady Xi: "Besides, she is good at chatting with people. You and my dad will definitely not be lonely with her around."
"I'm not lonely now." Old Lady Xi raised her eyebrows. "How can I be lonely when I have so many grandchildren? Since Qingran is free, let her spend some time with her grandparents and stop coming here all the time."
Seeing Xi Sumei's angry face, as if she was about to quarrel, Zhen Zhen quickly stood up and said with a smile: "Grandma Xi, you are tired all day, go to bed early, I will go back now."
Old Mrs. Xi nodded: "Come to our house when you have time." She looked up at Xi Junjie and said: "Send Zhenzhen home, and then make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall as soon as possible."
Xi Junjie took Zhenzhen away from the old house, but Zhenzhen was distracted and stayed at the scene of the quarrel. She sat in the car and pretended to take a nap, but her consciousness returned to the Xi family's old house.
"Mom, don't you acknowledge me as your daughter?" Xi Sumei stomped her feet and looked like she was about to throw a tantrum.
Xi Suyu's face darkened, and she went over and pushed Xi Sumei, causing her to stumble. "It's Mom's birthday today, can you not make a scene? So many people are here to celebrate Mom's birthday, and you're going to make a scene. Don't you feel ashamed?"
"I have nothing to be ashamed of." Xi Sumei stiffened her neck and looked at Xi Suyu: "Mom's partiality is not shameful, but there are five of us, why are you four living so well while I am the only one living so poorly?"
Xi Suyu was so angry that she laughed: "If you are not happy, go find your man. What does it have to do with your mother's family? Your sisters-in-law are embarrassed to say it, but I have no worries. Xi Sumei, if you come home in the future just for your messy little thoughts, you might as well not come back, so that your mother won't be upset when she sees you."
Old Madam Xi glanced at Xi Sumei, her face as calm as water: "I'm going to say this today, I won't let you move in, and Qingran can't come either."
Shang Qingran's face flushed red, he looked at Old Lady Xi angrily, stood up and turned away.
"Ran Ran!" Xi Sumei stood up and shouted twice. Seeing Shang Qingran leaving the yard without looking back, she looked at Old Lady Xi angrily and said, "Okay, my daughter is married and it's like spilled water. You can not let me come back to live here, but you have to give me an explanation for the bracelet just now."
"Bracelet." Old Lady Xi was confused: "What do you think of my bracelet?"
"The bracelet should be given to your daughter, right? Why give it to a granddaughter-in-law you just met and you don't know if you can be together in the future? Aren't you afraid that your other grandchildren will be unhappy?"
All of Old Lady Xi's family members were present except Xi Junjie. The grandchildren were already furious when they saw Xi Sumei like this, and when they saw that she was dragging the issue onto themselves, they all shook their heads and said, "We don't mind. They gave us such an expensive gift, so there's nothing wrong with giving us a bracelet in return."
Xi Sumei looked at them in disbelief: "Are you stupid?" She shook her head speechlessly and pointed at the eldest and second sisters-in-law. Chang Leqing immediately said: "I have no objection, it's good." The second daughter-in-law nodded: "That girl looks good wearing it."
Xi Suyu sneered: "You think that others are like you, without any family affection, and spend their days calculating and obsessed with money. Xi Sumei, let me tell you, you have done this to yourself, you don't have to blame anyone but yourself."
Mrs. Xi couldn't help but sigh: "In other families, one person's salary can support a whole family. You two are both working, and your salary is enough for you to live on." Looking at the fashionable clothes Xi Sumei was wearing, Mrs. Xi shook her head: "Eat as much as your bowl can hold. Don't compare your life with others all day long. What others earn is their business. Instead of being jealous of others, you might as well think about how to live your own life well."
Grandpa Xi, who had been silent all this time, suddenly stood up and said, "Your mother is right. Go back and think about it. Don't come back for the time being." Glancing at the messy house, Grandpa Xi clenched his fists with veins popping out, "The biggest mistake I made today was asking you to come back to celebrate your mother's birthday. In the future, don't come to your mother's and my birthdays or the New Year or other festivals. It makes me upset just to see you."
Mr. Xi and Mrs. Xi turned and left. Everyone else also left. The nanny came over to clean up the table. Xi Sumei collapsed on the ground with tears streaming down her face. "Why don't you help me? I'm your daughter."
"Ding ding..." The car turned into Houyang. Zhenzhen regained consciousness and got out of the car with Xi Junjie. Neither of them went home but sat on a bench by the lake. Zhenzhen put her hands in her pockets and looked at Xi Junjie: "Junjie, I think your aunt's princess syndrome and conjunctivitis are a bit serious."
Although it was the first time Xi Junjie heard this word, he understood its meaning instantly. He sighed softly, "I heard from my dad that everyone in the family helped her a lot in the past, but she was not only ungrateful, but also nitpicking and wanted others to spend money and use connections. As long as her requirements were not met, she would cry and make a fuss. If she was helped, she would not even say thank you, as if it was her due. Later, the Shang family was sent down together, and my two uncles were busy with their own affairs. They were not in the same faction as their family, so they could not control them. She felt that the whole family owed her, and that she was not living a good life now because her family did not help her well. She never knew how to reflect on herself." Thinking of his little cousin, Xi Junjie frowned, "I think her daughter has also been taught badly by her."
Zhenzhen had a very bad impression of Shang Qingran: "This little girl has a very dark look in her eyes when she looks at people. I don't like her."
Xi Junjie held Zhenzhen's hand and whispered in her ear, "That's perfect. As long as you like me, that's fine."
The author has something to say: When I was taking a nap at noon, I dreamed that I had Zhenzhen’s superpowers and could fly invisible. When I went to fight a boss who liked to rob other people’s lives, I found the person’s life plate invisible and pinched off the flame on his penis. Then the boss became a eunuch. What kind of bad taste do you think I have